Ron's discovery.
by Silver Snidget
Summary: Ron discovers the magic of reading, but it's not what we expect!


A/N Sorry if there are any typos, but I am too lazy to check through! Anyway, this is a completely pointless fic written on a whim. I was really frustrated about getting nowhere on my L&J story, and I was determined to write something! So this is what came out. Enjoy!

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Ron pulled the heavy scarlet blanket tighter around his shoulders and stared straight ahead, his usually vibrant brown eyes full of fear. He heard someone approach and stood up abruptly. He swung around quickly, holding his wand in front of him in a threatening way. He relaxed a bit when he saw who it was, and the intruder held in a quiet laugh about his paranoid reaction. He slumped back into the high backed chair and the intruder sat on the floor by his feet. 

'Hi Hermi, what are you doing down here so late?' he asked her softly, staring at the fireplace. 

'Couldn't sleep. What are you doing down here? And why are you so jumpy?' she asked him, and on seeing him shudder, she took his hand gently. 'Ron? What's wrong? Did someone do something to you?' He let out a small laugh at her over-protective reaction. 

'No, I'm fine. It was just some book I read, it creeped me out a bit.' he told her reluctantly, afraid she might laugh at him. His suspicions were confirmed as she let out a hollow chuckle.

'Tell me about it. I've just been reading this new thriller I got from the Library at home, and it's scarier than Snape in a tutu!' Ron was relieved, she was laughing with him, not at him. Hermione looked at him carefully. 'So, what book were you reading Ron?' 

He shuddered as he was reminded of it, and stared at the fire again, thinking about his answer. Hermione watched him, his sharp features somehow looked more clearly defined in the flickering light of the dying fire, and he seemed different tonight. Perhaps she was just seeing a different side of him, a more sensitive side that read complex books, and that she could really relate to. She stopped debating in her mind as he opened his mouth, preparing to answer her question, to which he had obviously given a lot of thought (another way in which he was different, not just speaking his mind).

'It's horrible, I mean, who would really want to read about some poor people being mauled by a wolf? I know they got rescued in the end, but it's just not true! That would never happen! It's sick and twisted and I pity the poor fool who wrote it, expecting children to enjoy it. I got it from Percy, he bought it while he was taking Muggle Studies. I mean, no wonder muggles are so weird, growing up reading that horrible stuff. And how can the wolf talk? That bit was just plain scary!'

Hermione frowned, her soft hand still clutching Ron's long, gangly fingers reassuringly, as she pieced together the information Ron was feeding her. She smiled suddenly, as she realised which book he had read. 

'Don't worry Ron, you'll be OK. As long as you get to sleep anyway.' she told him soothingly, and he stood up with a sigh.

'Yeah, you're right. I know it's not true, but it's just so well-written, and the whole storyline is damn scary!' he told her fiercely, 'Oh well, I'm going back up now, you coming?'

'Yeah,' Hermione told him with a smile, 'I'll be up in a minute.' She watched him disappear up the boys stairs, dragging the scarlet blanket with him, and giggled softly to herself. She picked up the book Ron had thrown on the floor looked at the cover, with a small smile curving her rosebud coloured lips as her suspicions were confirmed.

_Really_, she thought to herself, _I never am going to understand boys, especially not wizards! _

She walked up the boys stairs, remembering Ron's comments, and the jumpy way he had reacted. She put the book by the door and, not without a backards glance she walked away, imagining Ron's expression when he saw the book had 'walked' up the stairs. Sure enough, the next morning, the whole of Gryffindor house were woken by an ear-splitting scream coming from the boys dorm, which was followed by Ron's panicky voice.

'Harry! Wake up! That book is alive! It's cursed!'

Harry must have just woken up, and he replied in an extremely groggy voice, 'Ron, what are you talking about? That's Little Red Riding Hood!!'

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**Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to the fantabulous JKR (obviously, this being the Harry Potter section!) except Little Red Riding Hood, which belongs to some twisted freak with a fetish for red hoods. **

Well...hope you enjoyed reading, and please review. That's all I've got to say. It's sad isn't it? :(

Oh yeah, and thanks to:

Bluemoonbabe, Gumdrop, Kayla Summers, Prongs, Funky One, Aireon Granger, Lily, Mandy, Perfect1, Riskea, Moi, Megan, MLI, Aira, Justme, LiLi, Ariana and Vying Quill for reveiwing L&J, and anyone else who reviewed after this was written. Well, I'd better go and be depressed about how much homework I have. 

~Suga~


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